Non-invasive analyte sensor and system with decoupled transmit and receive antennas

Abstract

A non-invasive analyte sensor includes at least one transmit antenna/element that functions to transmit a transmit signal in a radio or microwave frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum into a target containing an analyte of interest, and at least one receive antenna/element that functions to detect a response resulting from transmission of the transmit signal by the transmit antenna/element into the target. The transmit and receive antennas/elements are decoupled from one another which helps to improve the detection capability of the non-invasive analyte sensor. The decoupling between the transmit and receive antennas is achieved by using at least one intentionally fabricated configuration and/or arrangement therebetween that is sufficient to decouple the transmit antenna and the receive antenna from one another.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A non-invasive analyte sensor system, comprising:
 a decoupled antenna array having at least one transmit antenna and at least one receive antenna that are decoupled from one another, the at least one transmit antenna is positioned and arranged to transmit a transmit signal into a target containing at least one analyte of interest, and the at least one receive antenna is positioned and arranged to detect a response resulting from transmission of the transmit signal by the at least one transmit antenna into the target containing the at least one analyte of interest; 
 the at least one transmit antenna has a first geometry and the at least one receive antenna has a second geometry that is geometrically different from the first geometry; 
 the at least one transmit antenna consists of a strip of conductive material having at least one lateral dimension thereof greater than a thickness dimension thereof; and 
 the at least one receive antenna consists of a strip of conductive material having at least one lateral dimension thereof greater than a thickness dimension thereof; 
 the at least one transmit antenna and the at least one receive antenna are arranged side-by-side, and the at least one transmit antenna has a first longitudinal axis and the at least one receive antenna has a second longitudinal axis, and the first longitudinal axis is parallel to the second longitudinal axis; 
 a transmit circuit that is electrically connectable to the at least one transmit antenna, the transmit circuit is configured to generate a transmit signal to be transmitted by the at least one transmit antenna, the transmit signal is in a radio or microwave frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and 
 a receive circuit that is electrically connectable to the at least one receive antenna, the receive circuit is configured to receive a response detected by the at least one receive antenna. 
 
     
     
       2. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the strip of conductive material of the at least one transmit antenna and the strip of conductive material of the at least one receive antenna are disposed on a substrate. 
     
     
       3. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor housing, the decoupled antenna array is attached to the sensor housing, the transmit circuit is disposed in the sensor housing, and the receive circuit is disposed in the sensor housing; and 
 a battery disposed within the sensor housing, the battery is electrically connected to the decoupled antenna array, the transmit circuit and the receive circuit. 
 
     
     
       4. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 3 , wherein the battery is rechargeable. 
     
     
       5. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the target is human tissue, animal tissue, plant tissue, an inanimate object, soil, a fluid, genetic material, or a microbe. 
     
     
       6. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one analyte of interest comprises blood glucose, blood alcohol, white blood cells, or luteinizing hormone. 
     
     
       7. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the radio or microwave frequency range is between about 10 kHz to about 100 GHz. 
     
     
       8. A tabletop device, comprising:
 a housing that includes the non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 1 ; 
 a reading area on the housing at which the at least one transmit antenna and the at least one receive antenna are positioned; and 
 a trigger mechanism that permits a user to trigger a reading at the reading area. 
 
     
     
       9. The tabletop device of  claim 8 , wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a trigger button on the housing, a proximity sensor on the housing, a pressure sensor on the housing, or a voice trigger. 
     
     
       10. A system, comprising:
 the tabletop device of  claim 8 , and a mobile device that is in wireless communication with the tabletop device. 
 
     
     
       11. A non-invasive analyte sensor system, comprising:
 a sensor housing; 
 a decoupled detector array attached to the sensor housing, the decoupled detector array having at least one transmit element and at least one receive element, the at least one transmit element having a first geometry and the at least one receive element having a second geometry that is geometrically different from the first geometry, the at least one transmit element is positioned and arranged to transmit a transmit signal into a target containing at least one analyte of interest, and the at least one receive element is positioned and arranged to detect a response resulting from transmission of the transmit signal by the at least one transmit element into the target containing the at least one analyte of interest; 
 the at least one transmit antenna and the at least one receive antenna are arranged side-by-side, and the at least one transmit element has a first longitudinal axis and the at least one receive element has a second longitudinal axis, and the first longitudinal axis is parallel to the second longitudinal axis; 
 the at least one transmit element consists of a strip of conductive material having at least one lateral dimension thereof greater than a thickness dimension thereof, the strip of conductive material of the at least one transmit element is disposed on a substrate; 
 the at least one receive element consists of a strip of conductive material having at least one lateral dimension thereof greater than a thickness dimension thereof, the strip of conductive material of the at least one receive element is disposed on a substrate; 
 a transmit circuit attached to the sensor housing, the transmit circuit is electrically connectable to the at least one transmit element, the transmit circuit is configured to generate a transmit signal to be transmitted by the at least one transmit element, and the transmit signal is in a radio or microwave frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum; and 
 a receive circuit attached to the sensor housing, the receive circuit is electrically connectable to the at least one receive element, the receive circuit is configured to receive a response detected by the at least one receive element. 
 
     
     
       12. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 11 , further comprising a battery disposed within the sensor housing, the battery is electrically connected to the decoupled detector array, the transmit circuit and the receive circuit. 
     
     
       13. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 12 , wherein the battery is rechargeable. 
     
     
       14. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 11 , wherein the target is human tissue, animal tissue, plant tissue, an inanimate object, soil, a fluid, genetic material, or a microbe. 
     
     
       15. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one analyte of interest comprises blood glucose, blood alcohol, white blood cells, or luteinizing hormone. 
     
     
       16. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 11 , wherein the radio or microwave frequency range is between about 10 kHz to about 100 GHz. 
     
     
       17. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a reading area on the sensor housing at which the at least one transmit element and the at least one receive element are positioned; and 
 a trigger mechanism that permits a user to trigger a reading at the reading area. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 17 , wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a trigger button on the sensor housing, a proximity sensor on the sensor housing, a pressure sensor on the sensor housing, or a voice trigger. 
     
     
       19. A non-invasive analyte sensor system, comprising:
 a sensor housing; 
 a detector array attached to the sensor housing, the detector array having at least one transmit element and at least one receive element that are decoupled from one another, the at least one transmit element having a first geometry and the at least one receive element having a second geometry that is geometrically different from the first geometry, the at least one transmit element is positioned and arranged to transmit a transmit signal into a target containing at least one analyte of interest, and the at least one receive element is positioned and arranged to detect a response resulting from transmission of the transmit signal by the at least one transmit element into the target containing the at least one analyte of interest; 
 the at least one transmit element consists of a first strip of conductive material disposed on a substrate, the first strip of conductive material having at least one lateral dimension thereof greater than a thickness dimension thereof; 
 the at least one receive element consists of a second strip of conductive material disposed on the substrate, the second strip of conductive material having at least one lateral dimension thereof greater than a thickness dimension thereof; 
 a transmit circuit disposed within the sensor housing, the transmit circuit is electrically connected to the at least one transmit element, the transmit circuit is configured to generate a transmit signal to be transmitted by the at least one transmit element, and the transmit signal has a plurality of different frequencies, each one of the different frequencies is in a range of about 10 kHz to about 100 GHz; 
 a receive circuit disposed within the sensor housing, the receive circuit is electrically connected to the at least one receive element, the receive circuit is configured to receive a response detected by the at least one receive element; and 
 a rechargeable battery disposed within the sensor housing, the rechargeable battery is electrically connected to the detector array, the transmit circuit and the receive circuit. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 19 , wherein the target is human tissue, animal tissue, plant tissue, an inanimate object, soil, a fluid, genetic material, or a microbe. 
     
     
       21. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one analyte of interest comprises blood glucose, blood alcohol, white blood cells, or luteinizing hormone. 
     
     
       22. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a reading area on the sensor housing at which the at least one transmit element and the at least one receive element are positioned; and 
 a trigger mechanism that permits a user to trigger a reading at the reading area. 
 
     
     
       23. The non-invasive analyte sensor system of  claim 22 , wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a trigger button on the sensor housing, a proximity sensor on the sensor housing, a pressure sensor on the sensor housing, or a voice trigger.